Fastener



May 7, 1940. E. F. GAINES 2,199,913

FASTENER Filed April 8, 1937 ATTORN EY Patented May 7, 1940 PATENT OFFlCE FASTENER,

Eugene F. Gaines, Bala, Pa.;.Jean S. Gaines administratrix of said ceased Eugene F. Gaines, de-

Application April 8, 1937, Serial No. 135,687

3 Claims.

The object of my present invention is to devise a novel construction and arrangement of a fastener, adapted to be used as a supporter for sanitary pads or napkins.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel fastener which will lie flat against and closelyconform to the contour of the body of the user.

A further object of the invention is to'devise a novel fastener having side walls on which a novel clamping bar is slidable to clamp the napkin between the bar and the lower wall or bar of the body portion of the fastener.

The body portion of the fastener may be made of any desired material. I have found that a very satisfactory fastener is produced if the body portion is of rubber or rubber compound either with or without one or more layers of textile reinforcement, andwhen made of such material, the body portion is soft, flexible, resilient and in some cases, elastic. The body portion may also consist of more than one portion.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel fastener which is soft and flexible, which will give or bend with the body of the wearer, and which, while providing means for the rapid attachment and detachment of the gauze portion of a sanitary pad, provides gripping means which positively secures the gauze in such a way that direct, positive, physical action is necessaryto release the attached gauze. I

'With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter clearly appear, my invention comprehends a novel fastener having side walls on which a clamping member is slidable to clamp the napkin between theclamping member and the lower wall or bar of the body portion.

The slidable clamping member may have its lower, its upper, or both of its upper and lower walls provided with teeth.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing typical embodiments of it, which, in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results; It is, however, to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and my invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities, as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a fastener, embodying my invention.

Figure 2'is .a plan view of another embodiment of my invention, wherein gripping teeth are on the top face of the clamping bar.

Figure 3 is aplan view of another embodimen of my invention, wherein the upper and also the bottom faces of the clamping bar are provided with teeth.

Figure 4 is a perspective View showing one manner in which a napkincan be inserted into the fastener.

Figure 5 is a' perspective View, showing the manner in which the napkin is gripped and clamped between the clamping member and the lower wall or bar of the fastener.

Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure"? is a plan view of another embodiment of my invention. I I

Figure 8 is a perspective View of another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 9 is a plan view of another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 10 is a plan view of another embodiment of my invention. I

Figure 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 12 is a perspective View, showing the manner in which the napkinis detached from the fastener. I I

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing: 9

Referring first to the construction seen in Figure l, the body portion I has a top wall 2, side walls 3, and a bottom wall 4, whichdefine a central opening 5. The body portion l is preferably flexible and is preferably made of rubber or rubber compound which may be reinforced with a desired number of layers of textile or other material. The side walls of the body portion are preferably substantially equi-distant from each other and may be substantially parallel with each other. As illustrated, these side walls are rectangularin cross section. v

The side walls have a clamping member 6, slidably mounted on them. This clamping member has its ends deflected to form openings 1 to receive the side wallsof the body portion.

The top wall of the clamping member is smooth, while its bottom wall is provided with serrations or teeth 8. p g

In the embodiment seen in Figure 2, the body portion is the same as that shown in Figure l, but the clamping member, slidable on the side walls, has the teeth 9 on its top wall, while its bottom wall is smooth and unobstructed.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 3, the body portion is the same as that shown in' Figures 1 and 2, but both the top and bottom walls, of the clamping member, are provided with teeth as shown at it and H.

The clamping member 6, in the embodiments seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, divides the central opening of the body portion into two openings, either of which can be enlarged, by sliding the clamping member, as may be required to facilitate either the insertion or withdrawal of the gauze portion of the napkin. In Figure 4, an end of the napkin is shown as having been passed through the upper opening, and then through the bottom opening. The user then draws the napkin downwardly which causes it to be clamped between the clamping member and the bottom of the body portion. The napkin can be readily inserted through the openings of the fastener, since, due to the provision of flexible side walls, it can be readily bent into the position seen in Figure 4 by the thumb and one or more fingers of one hand of the user, and the napkin then inserted through the openings in the body portion by the other hand. The teeth on the bottom wall penetrate the fabric and prevent the end of the napkin being drawn into a bunched or cord formation which would chafe the wearer. The slide portions at the end of the clamping member are limited in their downward movement by the lower wall or bar of the body portion. If desired, when the clamping member is in gripping position as shown in Figure 5, the teeth may overlap to a desired extent the lower wall or bar of the body portion to'increase the clamping effect.

When-the napkin is inserted, it can be drawn tight, as'the teeth of the clamping member do not penetrate the fabric until it is passed back through the bottom opening, and the clamping member drawn or pushed downwardly.

One manner in which the napkin is detached from the fastener is shown in Figure 12. The user grasps the tab 24 with one hand and with the other hand slides the slidable clamping member with the end of the napkin upwardly.

The free end of the napkinpasses rearwardly.

through the bottom opening and can be readily withdrawn through the top opening ofthe body portion.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the body portion is shown as substantially rectangular in contour, but the shape and contour of the top and bottom walls may vary widely in practice so long as the clamping member is slidable on the flexible and preferably resilient side walls.

In the embodiment seen in Figure '7, the body portion is formed of flexible and elastic tapes or cords l3 substantially equi-distant from each other and having their lower ends secured with respect to a bar it, preferably of rubber, and notched or grooved, as at E5. The lower ends of the tapes pass around the bar and are tacked or stitched together as at 16.

The upper ends of the tapes 53 are each secured to the belt by stitching, or in any desired or conventional manner, the belt closing the top opening of the body portion.

The clamping member 6, slidable on the tapes, is similar to that shown in Figure l. The end of the napkin is passed over the top of the clamping member and then between the clamping member and the bar, and the clamping member is then drawn or pushed towards the bar to efiect the clamping action.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 8, the tapes ll form double strands, passing around a bar 18* and are stitched or tackedas: at i 19 to secure them to the bar. The clamping member 6 is slidable on the outer strands of the tapes. The clamping action on the napkin is the same as that already described in connection with the construction shown in Figure '7.

The clamping member and the juxtaposed bar of the body portion may, in some cases, have a curved contour, as shown in Figure 9, wherein the clamping member 2!), slidable on the flexible and resilient side members, has a curved or rounded lower wall, having downwardly pro jecting, centrally disposed teeth 2|, and, near the ends of the gripping or clamping portion are downwardly and outwardly directed teeth 22.

The upper face 23 of the lower bar of the body portion is curved or rounded to conform to the.

curvature or roundness of the lower face of the clamping member.

In all of the embodiments shown, the bottom of the body portion is preferably increased in depth to form a grasping tab 24 to enable the body portion to. be more readily grasped dur-" ing the attaching of the nap-kin to or its detachment from the body portion.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 10, the construction is similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 except that the clamping member 6 is not provided with teeth, and the fabric is clampedbetweenthe slidable clamping member and the lower wall of the bottom'opene ing in the body portion.

In the embodiment seen in Figure 11 a pair of tapes l7 similar to those shown in Figure 7 are employed which are slidably connected with the bar it by passing through openings in it, and have their lower free ends fixed at 25 to the clamping member 6. Thefree ends of the clamping member passaround and are slidable on the rear portions of the tapes ii. A downward pull on grasping tab 2t will, in this form, draw the clamping member downwardly into its clamped position to clamp the fabric between the clamping member and the bottom bar l4.

The bar or member M, in the forms seenin Figures '7, 8 and 11, may be made of any desired material and is preferably flexible in order to conform to the contour of the body of the user. i

In'my prior Patent No. 2,043,745, I have described and broadly claimed a. novel fastener wherein the walls of a flexible body portion define a central opening and a gripping member has its free ends fixed rigidly to the side walls of the body portion. 7 I

In the construction of this prior patent, the napkin was not clamped between the gripping member and the bottom wall of the body portion by the downward sliding of a clamping member. 7

Furthermore, if 'the top and bottom walls. of the body portion were'bent towards each other,

the fabric. This cannot take place'in my pres! ent invention, as the clamping member must. be i positively moved upwardly to releasev the napkin.v

In my present invention, when a tensionor downward pull is exerted on the. napking'the sliding member is thereby drawn downwardly and the sanitary pad is clamped between the sliding'member and the lowerpart of the .body

portion.

The teeth on the clamping member arejpreferably-disposed within the planes. of the clamping direction through the top opening, and then in an opposite direction through the bottom opening. A downward pull on the article, will now cause the clamping member, together with the article, to move downwardlytowards the lower wall of the body portion, and the gripping action will take place between the inner face of the clamping member and the outer face of the lower wall of the body portion.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful fastener which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described preferred embodiments thereof, which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that these embodiments are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fastener, a flat body portion of textile reinforced rubber having a. top wall, side walls, and a bottom wall defining a central opening and with a tab depending from said bottom wall,

a. clamping member transversing said opening and the outer face of the body portion, and having its ends surrounding and loosely embracing and to the top wall to move the lower wall away from the clamping member and thereby release the article therein.

2. In a fastener, a fiat body portion of textile reinforced rubber having a top wall, side walls,

and a bottom wall defining a central opening and with a tab depending from said bottom wall, a clamping member having teeth depending from its lower face, transversing said opening and the outer face of the body portion, and having its ends surrounding and loosely embracing said side Walls to be freely slidable thereon, the movement of said clamping member towards said bottom wall effecting the clamping of an article being held and the side walls being flexed by applying force to the tab of the bottom wall and to the top wall to move the lower wall away from the clamping member and thereby release the article therein.

3. In a fastener, a flat body portion of textile reinforced rubber having a top wall, sidewalls, and a bottom wall defining a central opening and with a tab depending from said bottom wall, a clamping member having teeth extending upwardly from its upper face, transversing said opening and the outer face of the body portion, and having its ends surrounding and loosely embracing said side walls to be freely slidahle thereon, the movement of said clamping member towards said bottom wall effecting the clamping of an article being held and the side wallsbeing flexed by applying force to the tab of the bottom wall and to the top wall to move the lower wall away from the clamping member and thereby release the article therein.

EUGENE F. GAINES. 

